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Image processing apparatus and method, distance detection apparatus, focusing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Active Publication Date: 2017-06-15
CANON KK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a system, method, and computer-readable storage medium for accurately identifying and separating objects with different distances from a camera. This technology helps to improve image processing and weaving, making it easier to capture and focus on specific objects.

Problems solved by technology

A conventional camera configured to detect a focusing state using a phase difference detection method cannot precisely detect the focusing state when there are two objects (main object and background) having different object distances in a focus detection area, due to a so-called perspective conflict in which these objects are simultaneously evaluated.
When both objects are too close to each other, the correlation of the phase difference is high in a middle position between both the objects, and even the perspective conflict cannot be detected.

Method used

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  • Image processing apparatus and method, distance detection apparatus, focusing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
  • Image processing apparatus and method, distance detection apparatus, focusing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
  • Image processing apparatus and method, distance detection apparatus, focusing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

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first embodiment

[0018]FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an image capturing apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment. The image capturing apparatus 100 may be a digital camera, a TV camera, a cellular phone, a smart phone, etc. The image capturing apparatus 100 may be a lens integrated type or a lens interchangeable type, such as a single-lens reflex camera and a non-reflex camera (mirror-less camera). The image capturing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment is the lens integrated type. The present invention is applicable to a distance detection apparatus, such as a digital distance measurement apparatus.

[0019]The image capturing apparatus 100 includes an image capturing optical system 101, an image sensor 102, an adder 103, a signal processor 104, a display recorder 105, an image importer 106, a storage unit 107, an image processor 120, a camera controller 114, and a setter 115. The image processor 120 includes, as illustrated by a dotted line in FIG. 1A, a first correlation calculator ...

second embodiment

[0062]FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an image capturing apparatus 100A according to a second embodiment. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the second embodiment uses a difference image generator 801 instead of the image generator 109, and a difference image generator 802 instead of the image generator 110. FIG. 8 assigns reference numeral 120A to the image processor that contains these components. The second embodiment uses a difference image instead of the absolute value image of the difference.

[0063]FIG. 7A is an output waveform from the difference image generator 801 when the two images are difference images illustrating the matching degree for each element of the data row obtained from the two phase differences. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the signal oscillates on the plus and minus sides. Reference numeral 701 denotes a signal corresponding to the A image. Reference numeral 702 denotes a signal correspond...

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Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a first phase difference detector configured to detect two phase differences in a range that contains a phase difference that provides the highest correlation between a pair of image signals, a comparator configured to compare a signal representative of a matching degree when the pair of image signals have a first phase difference among the two phase differences, and a signal representative of a matching degree when the pair of image signals have a second phase difference among the two phase differences, a signal separator configured to separate a pair of signal components relating to a specific object from the pair of image signals, based on a comparison result by the comparator, and a second phase difference detector configured to detect a phase difference that provides the highest correlation between the pair of signal components separated by the signal separator.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a distance detection apparatus, a focusing apparatus, an image capturing apparatus, an image processing method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.[0003]Description of the Related Art[0004]A conventional camera configured to detect a focusing state using a phase difference detection method cannot precisely detect the focusing state when there are two objects (main object and background) having different object distances in a focus detection area, due to a so-called perspective conflict in which these objects are simultaneously evaluated. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. (“JP”) 2013-257512 discloses a method for classifying pixels into a pixel that is close to an in-focus state and a pixel that is not, and for calculating each correlation. JP 2015-102735 discloses a method for classifying areas into an area close to an in-focus state and an area...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): H04N5/232G02B7/36G06K9/74G02B7/28H04N5/365G06K9/00
CPCH04N5/23212H04N5/3656G06K9/00557G02B7/365G06K9/745G02B7/285G06K9/748G03B13/36G06V10/761H04N23/672G06F2218/18G06F18/22H04N25/674
Inventor OGAWA, TAKESHI
Owner CANON KK